Storytelling
While it’s fun to go dig a huge hole in your backyard and shove an old shoebox filled with photos and movie stubs into the depths of the earth, it may be even more fun, sustainable, and smart to create a digital time capsule with those memories (and many more!).
So what do you put into a digital time capsule anyways?
That’s a great question. The answer is simple, though. You put in the same types of items as you would a physical time capsule. To make it easy, we put together a list of things to add just in case you need help getting started.
Family Recipes: Does grandma make the best sweet potato pie? Get her to write out the recipe some time! Even if it’s a “little bit of this, a little bit of that” kind of recipe, you won’t regret knowing the instructions for years to come.
Stories from Childhood: This one goes without saying, but some people miss the mark on this one. Most people throw a photo of a family reunion into a time capsule and believe that’s enough. Realistically, there are so many stories behind the one event – the time little Elle lost her second front tooth, the time Aunt Maggie forgot to include sugar in the butter pecan pie, and the time cousin Alex showed up with his ex-wife! All of those hilarious moments could be lost with generations passing, so remember to include the stories from all aspects of your life to make it extra meaningful.
Baby Pictures from Every Family Member: A Note to a Future Spouse or Future Child: Wouldn’t it be amazing to write a note to your future children and grandchildren? Or even to a future spouse? Talk about your needs, your wants, and how you hope your lives will intertwine. Answer questions like.. What do you need for a lasting relationship? What parenting styles will you take from your mom and dad? What do you want your future self to tell your daughter? What aspects of your childhood do you think make great life lessons for future generations?
Unforgettable Family Vacation Memories: A lot of us take vacations for granted. When we look at life as a gift, and not as a given, we can start to cherish it more. Did your family get the chance to go to a cabin in the woods? Have tickets to Disney World? Did your family complete a multi-generational cruise? All of those memories hold value. Little Becca may not remember the Disney Trip because she was only 7 years old at the time, which is all the more reason to safeguard all of your family vacation memories.
Pet Pictures and Information: Baby Charlie may have only been 4 years old when you got your puppy. That means you may have memories that Charlie doesn’t remember. Save these little moments (the time they napped together, the time the puppy learned to fetch, etc.) and you’ll be giving a gift that will be cherished forever.
Life Lessons from Family Members: We all know Uncle Henry tells the best stories, and gives the best advice. Wouldn’t it be amazing to have every life lesson from all family members written down somewhere for the next generation? Those life lessons about learning a trade or about finding true love don’t have to be lost in time.
Photos and Video of Elderly Family Members: Just like a traditional time capsule, it’s important to save the photos and videos of the matriarchs and patriarchs of your family. Even if you don’t have formal photos of your great grandparents, it’s still important to include what you have. The night your daughter was born, last year’s family reunion or the last-minute summer trip to the mountains works just fine.
Videos of Teenage Years: Your kids are going to think it’s hilarious – trust us. Keeping videos of the football game, the cheer competition, and the band recital can be daunting, but think of the joy in a few decades when your children have their high school years to look back on. Save those videos in one place – it’ll be worth it.
List of Each Family Members’ Wishes and Dreams: This may seem silly upon first glance, but I bet you already have this written down somewhere. Remember when Molly’s kindergarten teacher sent home a cute drawing of her as a dentist? That’s what we mean! Tracking that little Kevin wanted to be not only an astronaut, but a fireman and a writer are meaningful bits of information to look back on in the future.
Songs and Playlists from Your Favorite Artists: Ever hear a song that brings you back to ‘87, on a dirt road in ripped jeans and your dad’s old pick up truck? Yeah, music can do that to us! Music has a way of bringing us back to a memory, and can even have an emotional aspect. Tears of joy, tears of sadness, and all of the emotions in between, music helps us express our feelings!
So where do you put all of your media?
The potential for damage or loss is far too great to risk with the elements. So, we suggest putting it somewhere in the cloud (like we do!).
With StorySpot, you can create multiple digital time capsule and safeguard them from wear and tear for years to come. Plus, the ability to add so many more digital milestones and memories online creates a much more robust memento. With the addition of songs, audio, video, and slideshows – a digital time capsule is hands down something you should take time to create with your family.